TOTO - Official Website - Concert Reviews

I was in Toto's concert released in Mérida, Mexico. I great show! My brother was a big fan since I was young. I follow since then the group. Last year I bought "Live in Amsterdam" and I really like it. Now that I have the oportunity to be in a Toto concert (David wasn't but they explained that his sister was ill) I can say that it was a great experience difficult to forget. Thanks Toto for being a part of Merida's history with your music, and David from here I pray for your sister's recovery.

Tufertschwil & Gampel 2004

Dear Toto

Since my first concert in the "Hallenstadion" Zurich, Switzerland from November 2002 me and my brother have been great Toto-Fans.
"Hold the line" always has been one of our favourites, but in that November our passion for your music has begun.
The second concert "Live at sunset" in Zurich 2003 was a major highlight! That's why we were completely fond to hear about Toto playing in our neighbourhood in Tufertschwil.
We couldn't almost wait that friday...

And even that strong rain wich banged down on us before your conert could not stop our joyful anticipation. Boys, you were so great! Many young musicians who heard you for the first time were fond of you as a band, but also every single Toto musician of you has been praised.
The crowd was fascinated!!!

When I heard weeks before that your are playing in Gampel - at the other end of Switzerland - also, I ordered a ticket.
In sunday morining I was sitting all alone in the train for a way of 5 hours (and 5 hours back after). But that trip was worth it.
For the first time I could be in first row, eye contact with Steve and Bobby, and that doesn't happen to a woman every day.
Steve, you have got the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen in my life!

The year you startet with your music was 1977 - the year also I was born, therefore a very good year!

So at the end of your concert I had to hold back my tears, because I knew that I will not be able to hear Toto live for a long time.

But I deeply thank you for your music, without it my life would have been very sad...

God bless you all.

Love,

Hi everybody !

We just come back from Gampel where Toto played his last show for this summer tour.
A fantastic show. Everithings were perfects or at less near the perfection !! Except drum sound, sometime it sounded too loud.
But the band was amazing for this stuff.
1) the place : according to Luke : a such show between mountains is a fantastic idea.
2) the weather : 22°C, no rain (we were in Luxembourg in last july, under the rain...)
3) the setlist : the same as the first part of the tour : EXCELLENT. We were realy enjoy to hear again I will remember, better world, Good for you, Only the children, Gypsy train, Angel don't cry ! Thanks a lot for this great list :) And finaly a fantastic medley with Angel don't cry, Carmen, Dave gone skiing, These chains, Mushanga.
4) the band : Bobby was realy cool, Tony played and sang right, Greg was excellent on keyboards and as "M. Loyal" during Gypsy train :))). He danced on stage, pushed the audience to jump and moved it's arms up to down in speed movements.
Luke in great way of life : cool, many jokes, an amazing accoustic guitar solo, fantastic riffs during songs....
King Simon : inspite of his technicals problems, Simon did (again) an amazing game : great groove for Mushanga, I will remember... And his solo.... Nothing to say about as it was great. He showed that he knows playing and doing everything is possible and not with a drum :)))
and Mike... the class master on stage, the man who lives what he play, his music. Mike you are the king !!! Toto played an extra song : Purple rain, as for the others show of this summer tour with Greg. Thank you so very much for all you give to us ! We wish to see you as soon as it will be possible for you. But at first take some holidays.

We'll try to wait for your come back with all these great memories.

Hi guys,
Yesterday morning me and my girlfriend drove from Milano to Gampel to see TOTO at Open Air.
For me it was the 12° time and for my girlfriend was the first one and... Oh!!! She had no words.
The show was fantastic, erred that being of afternoon we did not be able to see the effects of the lights.
Really we are displeased for Dave, you are lacking us.
Greg replaced worthy Dave and Purple Rain was great.
Thanks for the magical moments that it have make live us during the show, specially during "I Will Remember" really we were very moved.
Thanks for all TOTO, God bless, we will remember...

Hi,
after following Toto's 25 years Tour last year in Germany (Losheim, Böblingen, München) me and my friends decided goin' to join Toto in Rottweil. So when we saw that building, Toto was ment to play in, a former Powerplant, we knew this night gonna be something special. And we were not disappointed! A "small" floor, in compare to the locations we saw Toto playin' before (e.g. Olympia Halle - Munich), made this event to a special night in our lifes. The accoustic was the best i've evere heard, and the stage light was georgeous. Even better than in Munich!
Toto began in time on 20:30. Starting with some older stuff, goin on with their greates hits like Rosanna, Africa, and so on. I was glad to hear Toto playin some songs, that they don't play so often. On their encore the guys decided to bring the Soul-Legend Marla Glen on the Stage. Together they sang "Hoochie Coochie Man".
So all I can say: this show was awsome!

A scenery like in John Carpenter´s "escape from New York" : a former power station, fires burning outside and the place packed with a hysteric crowd waiting for Toto...

With "We´ll have a lot of fun tonight" Steve Lukather started the show --- and the audience and the band had lots of fun !! Nearly two and a half hours with two encores Toto played all their famous hits and some medleys : Only the children, Pamela, Rosanna, Hold the line, Mushanga, I´ll be over you, White Sister, Girl say goodbye, Africa, and, and ... a lesson for all musicians: Steve Lukather´s superb acoustic guitar solo, Simon Phillips´ drum solo, Mike Porcaro´s Solo on Africa and also Greg Phillinganes` keyboard and snare solo together with Simon Phillips. Unfortunately David Paich due to family reasons couldn´t be there, but Greg did a great job (although no one never ever can replace the "maestro" David Paich and his "aura" on stage).

Toto also featured Marla Glenn playing the blues harp in a "15-minutes-blues" simply switching the tune during the song according to Marla´s tune who couldn´t find in first (...Toto had again a lot of fun on stage). And after the second encore it seemed like Steve Lukather was ready to play a third one (still holding his guitar) but Toto had to leave for Switzerland.

A fantastic fresh and relaxed show - Toto rocks !!!!

great gig, great gig - and i've seen a few! the band was in great shape, greg sang icredibly and so did luke. they also played my favorite song, gipsy train. like in the good old hard days of KOD. i enjoyed every single second, thanks guys. and please come back as soon as possible - with a new record or without.

hi i am from mexico and i am a big toto fan scince i was 15. i was so excited about trhe concert at braunschweig this was my 3th toto concert i am now 19. i saw the las two toto concerts at mexico the one in march 2004 and the other one on may 2000 both at auditorio nacional but i think this was an excellent concert they played songs they had never played live in the mexico concerts. i really loved pamela and the little piece of mushanga. it was a great concert y was on the 3th line so it was great to see toto so close. i am very happy to be able to attend that concert in germany and i hope i can see you guy soon thank for the great music

Me and my parents drove 6 hours from Brussels (Belgium) to Braunschweig (Germany) only to see Toto! When we arrived at our hotel, it seemed like we weren't the only ones who drove that far. There was also a couple that came from Spain who travelled till there to see the greatest band on earth!

We arrived at the Feldschl"ßchen Bühne at 6.30 p.m. I bought a Toto T-shirt and we chatted a little bit with the guy who sold them. I was so relieved when I found out that he was from London and that he spoke English, because my German is totally disastrous! :-/ We found a little place on the first row on the left right in front of Tony Spinner! At 20 p.m., special act Silent Radio began. It wasn't our type of music, but it wasn't bad either, a good start!

And then at 21.30 p.m., the real stuff began! Ever since the first notes from "Only the Children" there was a very pleasant sphere and everywhere you looked, you could see smiling faces, not only in the crowd, but also on stage!

It is true that Steve had a little problem with his red guitar in the beginning, but who cares when he jokes about it himself? He's such a cool cat, it is hard not to like him! His solo was the best I saw in my short life! Yes, in my short life, I'm only 16, but I was so happy to see that I wasn't the youngest fan out there. Behind me, there was a 12-year old huge Toto-fan who really knew all the lyrics, it was really crazy to see that! Even Steve was surprised that there were so many young people in the crowd and he laughed: "I don't think it's on MTV that you saw us!" :-D

Mike Porcaro's solo in "Africa" was amazing as well as the duet with Steve.

It was sad that Dave wasn't there, but as said before, Greg was really incredible! He jumped up and down behind the piano, he laughed a lot and he had to start "Hold the Line" over again, because he was wrong, but that was so funny, everybody laughed in the crowd and Steve was laughing so hard, he had to sit on his knees to gasp for breath! Afterwards he said about Greg: "This guy is going to kill me!".

And now Simon "Octopus" Phillips... (haha, that was a good one by the way ;-) His solo was so breathtaking, everybody in the crowd looked at him with wide open eyes. He's so amazing. The feeling he is giving to us is just priceless. He gives us so much while that solo, that we just don't know what to give him in return! Emotion guaranteed! I loved it when at the end of the show, he stood up behind his drum and he began to shake with his hips, that was SO cute! Just marvellous!

I really had the impression that Tony was in the mood! I still do think that he had to sing "Pamela", even though Bobby sings it incredibly well, but I always thought that "Pamela" sounded a bit like "Stop Loving You" and Tony sung "Stop Loving You" amazingly too, so... But whatever, those are details, the most important is that it sounds great and it did, so no problem!

Bobby was really great too, he was in shape and sung really well, I don't think I have got to say anything else about this!

This was my 2nd Toto gig this summer (I also went to Luxembourg on July 4th) and I really hope it won't be the last! Everything was just great! Great weather (which wasn't like that in Luxembourg, it rained almost for the whole concert there), great people, amazing gig!!! Toto are really close with their fans, if not the closest and we really appreciate that! It may sound a bit crazy, but I always found that Toto and their fans were a bit like a married couple: they give and we take, we give and they take! I hope we can give them all the love we receive through their music and fabulous concerts back!

I tell you: you just never get used to such high quality music, that's why we're always coming back!

TOTO rules and will rule forever!

b... b...b.... blown away once more...
14 toto concerts in 9 years. each one amazing. but this night in braunschweig will never be forgotten.
gee....WHAT A KILLER SET!!! we drove about 3 hours and stood 4 hours on our feet, before we should hear the screaming guitar intro of "only the children"!!!
bobby was great, singin it. i guess his mic wasn´t loud enough but we stood in the front row and so we heard bobby singin even when he was singin without a mic :)
hey luke..what was wrong with the red guitar? sounded like it was something with the wireless system? sad but actually a really great colour man...probably, the cooles up till now.
i thank the lord above for hearing "angel don´t cry" and "carmen" live. thank you for that. and bobby, really shows who was, is, and will be THE toto-voice forever.
luke was in a great mood. joking, singin very well and playing his a** off. great solo spot, and a cool "one-man-version" of "the road goes on". si was great as usal..you can call him mr. constant :)
sad, that dave was not there, but gregg ruled once more. but he seemed to be sleeping in the intro´s of "i´ll be over you" and "hold the line" but we´re all human, right? ;)
but MY highlight was absolutely "gypsy train" maaaaaaaaaaaan...that one rocked..wwwwoooow. and i bet, that downtown jimmy has no need to feel blue anymore ;)
it was a great crowd that evening, great weather, great toto.
behind me stood a couple of music-students or something like that and they were talking like: man, do you know what cables luke is using or which after shave simon prefers?.. you know what i mean. these kind of guys who are talking music in the grave...and i guess you showed them that night, that you are not only great musicians, but also, great entertainers with the right feeling. you showed us one more time, that music isn´t only something you can put in your disc-player or something that you can use for making the chicks wanting you ....well... the last one is really helpful but not that important ..haha..sorry mum ... ;).
but its also a feeling, comin from the heart to let go your emotions and to create a new language. toto, YOU are the language-masters. thank you for that once again from essen,germany.

Yesterday we had a 5 hour drive from Rotterdam (Holland) to Braunschweig (Germany). It was a great show, standing in front of Steve and Bobby, ' row 2 ' .
I was there with my bandmates. Both Sidney and I work for Golden Earring as guitar/bass technicians and formed a band in 2001 called Lunacy Hill. Yesterday we took our singer with us, to visit his first TOTO concert ever.
Thanks to TOTO for the great show...!! Cya later in.... Holland??

Toto with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Concert

When I saw that Toto was playing in North America, I called my wife and said "we gotta go to this one!" Funny thing, though. We live in London, Ontario Canada. Needless to say, this quickly became a non-issue. We bought the tickets, hopped on a flight to Atlanta and saw the best concert of our lives.

Powerful, amiable, tight, electric, talented are only a few of the words that come to mind.

When they began with Goodbye Girl and absolutely ripped it, I knew me and 2000 other people were in for a real treat. Kimball was dead on, Paich and Porcaro were perfect and Tony Skinner was a pleasant surprise.

What can I say about Simon Phillips and Steve Lukather. Kimball was right when he said "the best there is". These 2 guys absolutely carried the show.

They covered all the Toto "musts" including Pamela, Rosanna, Africa and Hold the Line. The only thing missing was "99". I would like to have heard a few more from Tambu; it's my fav. But hey, with a catalogue like these guys have I didn't feel like I missed out.

Again, this was a great show. I hope they play N.A. again next year.

My meek tribute to the phenomenal band called Toto. I could use an infinite amount of words and all of Webster and still not come close to the performance Toto gave on Aug 6th in Atlanta, GA. This was my first live show with Toto. I had only experienced their magic through audio and DVD. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect them to exceed what you see and hear on a DVD. They were able to do just that without a hitch and so much more.
I had the pleasure of watching Toto practice for the first time with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra just hours before they performed live to a candle-lit, roaring, dancing, singing-along, crowded amphitheater. The practice was like watching a doctor performing surgery, everything had to be just perfect or it wasn't going to be right. A perfectionist attitude took over when it came to how the music was going to sound. Practice went long after the intended time limit and it showed. I would like to say thanks for them for caring so much about their passion and their fans to want that for yourself and them.
I was told by a friend, "Toto's takes you to a whole new level." Now, I know what he was talking about. The musicianship and the voice integrity of the band is beyond comprehension to the normal everyday fan. We listen to their music because it speaks to our souls or says something that needs to be said. It makes us think and feel in places we want to sometimes make numb. However, the way Toto conveys it, it makes it not hurt so bad or even hurt so good. After seeing and hearing them live... there's no going back. The DVDs and CDs don't begin to hold a candle to what you feel in a live performance. All of the band members have a unique gift to the band as a whole. Bobby Kimball with his energetic, passionate singing will get you in places you didn't think were there. His voice is incredible and his range is indescribable, most mere morals cannot even attempt to hit the notes he does effortlessly! Steve Lukather guitar genius and singing are a rare combination. David Paich playing piano and singing like he's there within the song and no where else. Tony Spinner is great guitarist and singer that sings from the heart to yours. Mike Porcaro puts the "boom" the bass and rides it like a cool wave. And Simon Phillips plays drums like it's part of his heart beat and shares it with you through the music. All these is live! All this put together it Toto. Nothing could come close to what I saw and heard in Atlanta... nothing.
I will leave on this note. If you ever have the opportunity to see them live, do so. You won't regret it, in fact, you'll beg for more. Hopefully one day, they will get the recognition they deserve in the states and play more here. When they come back around and I'll be there! You can bet on it!

I Could Be Good For You.......(Toto)

P.S. Many thanks to all of Toto and their team for their kindness and generousity. A special thanks to Baby Blue for...well...everything! You're the best!

There have been so many great reviews that have been posted so far that I'm not sure where to start, so I'll keep mine fairly short and sweet. I'll start with some obvious observations and comments that most of us have grown used to:

1) What an amazing band!
2) These guys ROCK!
3) Toto is the best band on the planet.
4) Simon is related to the octopus.
5) God, it's good to have Bobby back.
6) By the look on his face, Mike is either groovin' really hard, or maybe he's in need of a laxative.
7) That Luke, he's so funny.
8) Was that Joseph Williams' voice I heard during 'Only The Children'?
9) Where was Paich's 'Spear Britney' T-Shirt?
10) I sure wish they would have played _______________________________ .

Now that I have that out of my system...

Friday, August 6th is a day I will never forget. Not only was this concert being performed one day after the anniversary of Jeff Porcaro's death, which weighed heavily on my mind the entire day, but it was one of most unique Toto performances I have witnessed. Toto IV, in my opinion, was one of the finest recordings ever, both creatively and technically. To be able to hear 'I Won't Hold You Back' with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's support was truly magical. To hear the lush, full sound of the symphony sweeping throughout the song as it builds in momentum was a musical treat I'll always cherish, especially when those kinds of sounds are so heavily generated with synthesizers these days (I'm starting to sound like an old guy now). Some other highlights from the day:

1) Unexpectedly seeing the band in the hotel lobby waiting for their shuttle. Paich was sitting down at a baby grand going over charts with the conductor of the orchestra (Matt). Luke eventually sat down and started playing "Georgia On My Mind". When Bobby Kimball caught wind of what Luke was playing, he started singing along. That definitely turned some heads in the hotel lobby!

2) Seeing so many of the friends I have met at various Toto shows, such as Steve McVey, Nathan Yancy, Pete Yablonsky and his wife Sally, John Marshall, Phil (from Atlanta), and several others. Going to a Toto show is starting to feel like a family reunion!

3) Being fortunate enough to sit-in on the rehearsal and witnessing the sound check.

4) Perfect weather, especially since this was an outdoor venue.

5) Leaving my seat, which was right next to the stage, to take a seat nearly in the back of the venue. There, no one else was around. It was just me and the music of my favorite band. Of course, I moved back to my seat next to the stage eventually. Do you think I'm THAT crazy?

6) Shaking David Paich's hand after the show and then realizing how short his fingers are. How in the world does he play piano so well with such short fingers?

7) Watching Steve McVey run around like a crazed fan snapping photo after photo. I saw smoke rising from his camera at one point.

8) Watching three women, who had to be in their 60's and 70's, grooving to 'Girl Goodbye'. They even had front row seats (probably an orchestra subscription). I asked my friend Eddy before they show if they knew what they were in for, but to my surprise they stayed for the entire show and really seemed to have a good time.

9) Reminding myself during the show that this band has been around for 27 years and sounds better than ever. I know, this one could probably go in my previous list of the 'obvious', but we as fans should really feel fortunate that they are still going strong after all of these years. Even if they decided to release 'Through The Looking Glass II', we should all be thankful.

10) Realizing during the performance that if it wasn't for the great fans in Europe and Asia - anywhere outside of the USA for that matter - this band may not be around. From what I've heard, the band is pretty excited about the two orchestra shows (Honolulu and Atlanta), so hopefully momentum is in place to tour the USA and get back in the good graces of the American audience. Go Toto!

The only lowlight of the day: Sitting in a pizza place prior to the show, my friend Nathan Yancy was trying to sell two extra tickets, and was advertising with a sign around his neck. A man walked up to us and said, "Toto. Wow, are they still around? My wife thought they were dead." My heart sank, but it didn't ruin my day. I just had to chalk it up to igorance.

So much for keeping my review brief. My fingers started dancing on the keyboard and didn't know when to quit. I'm looking forward to more shows in the near future and meeting as many of you as possible.

Best wishes!

In one word...AWESOME!!! I have never been a real big fan of TOTO, but I based this on the only few songs I had heard... Hold the line (which I have always loved), Rosanna and Africa (never cared for), hence not a big fan. Started dating a musician year ago, and he always raved about TOTO, I always just rolled my eyes and said yes dear. After finding out that they were coming in concert, I immediately let him know and we were both trying to find the best seats we could for the concert (thinking to myself, I must really love this man). We lucked out and had good seats sharing a table with strangers who had bought tickets from the same guy. Started to hear a few songs I had heard before but never knew who sang them, thank you critics for not letting a lot of airplay of some awesome songs, anyways, some how after intermission, my boyfriend and the other guy at the table go down to the stage to look around, then here comes the other guy and he starts whispering come on we got front row, and low and behold my boyfriend and I have Lukather and Porcaro in front of us. I was totally blown away, these are some of the greatest musicians I have ever heard!!! If it was somehow possible, I liked the music from the concert better than the CD's (I have since purchased two) All I know is that I have never been to a concert where the band sounds better live than on an CD, or Album for you relics like my boyfriend..haha

I cannot wait until they return (if ever, given that the USA has never given them a chance, I hold my head in shame, I am guilty).

Keep Rockin guys!!!

What a fabulous evening. This was my first Toto concert ever. Twenty-five years in the making. I travelled all the way from Boston just for this event.
As a drummer in the late 70's and early 80's in Connecticut, Toto was THE band (Jeff Poccaro my hero). I still have the records. Twenty five years later, I am and always will be a Toto fanatic. You guys are only getting better and better.

This was a dream come true to see them in the US LIVE!!. What a night!!! What a venue!! The Atlanta symphony was great. I met great Toto fans (Jeff and Tommy from Tennessee,etc...). All of us true fans from the beginning rocked the house. Toto thanks for making this a fantastic evening. One that I will never forget. Please return to New England either at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. Thanks again.

After my eleventh Toto concert in 26 years, this time here in Atlanta Friday night, I guess that I have to finally concede.....THIS WAS THE BEST YET! The question has finally been answered. Other than another double platinum release with globally saturated clear channel air play that bags numerous Grammies - what would it take for America to appreciate Toto for what they really are (visionaries, studio musicians etc.) ??? Well, how about a series of concerts with an orchestra (Atlanta Symphony) like we had 48 hours ago. It is not automatic though as I have seen Yes and the Moody Blues with an orchestra and it just didn't measure up to this event. I won't give any secrets out but I heard six songs that I have never heard them do live before and I had to keep pinching myself! I looked around at the enthusiastic applause and recognition and knew then that the band had completely disassembled any thoughts of audience apathy. I have not witnessed such audience participation since the San Juan Puerto Rico show almost five years ago. Truly, a far cry from the Variety Playhouse show here in 1994 (that tragic year).

A dear friend Joe Jackson and his wife drove up from Mobile Alabama (who I met at the 1994 Atlanta show and attended the Tunica, Biloxi and New Orleans shows later that decade with) and we commenced to having an awesome time Friday night. The Band's solos were bright and tight and in no uncertain terms: the Yamaha, Ovation and Tama Star Classic stuff was meticulously tuned. My senses were numbed during "Home of the Brave" and I ascended into disbelief during "These Chains". One little give away - my best moment came during the first song following a brief intermission. The Atlanta Symphony opened with a brilliant intro to "Childs Anthem" while the band was filing on stage. At the crescendo, the Boys blitzed the audience with a spatially joined all out attack and what developed was complete and utter audio / visual perfection! I have cold chills as I type this and I will never - ever forget that moment! The customers knew then that this was something special - even the casual observer was awed. Too bad that the local press missed this chance for a significant discovery / rediscovery. Nice to hear Luke expand a little on the continual poor press in the United States during the show. I'll close by saying that if you ever have this incredibly rare and wonderful opportunity before you, seize it by all means. It will surely impact your long term memory as an unmatched entertainment value!

Stephen McVey: Nice to see you again. Don't think that I've seen you since Las Vegas. Highest ratings for the website Dude. It is as good as they come and a lesser effort would not be worthy of this phenomenal band that we all know and love........................TOTO.

Since Toto rarely plays the United States anymore these days, it was quite a surprise to have them play my home town for this tour. The last time they played Atlanta was in 1993 for the Kingdom of Desire tour.

Upon hearing that they were playing at Chastain Park Amphitheatre with the Symphony, that made it even more surprising. For those that don't know, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) sponsors a concert series held at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre each year called 'Classic Chastain'. Most of these concerts are accompanied by a portion of the orchestra. Groups may range from Bruce Hornsby, Carole King, Al Jarreau, Amy Grant, Peter Cetera, etc. The group Boston also has played with the ASO. I was thrilled that Toto chose Atlanta for this type of concert.

Chastain Park Amphitheatre is unique in that it sits right in the middle of a pretty affluent residential section of Atlanta. Houses surround the outside of the amphitheatre which is the reason for the sound restrictions placed upon the venue. Another unique aspect about the amphitheater is it's atmosphere. Tables are set up in the pit in front of the stage and several rows up the amphitheatre on each side. Fans are allowed to bring in their own food, drink, candles, etc. You pack up dinner, grab some friends and go see a great show. However, the, as I like to call them, "the wine and cheese crowd" is prevalent due to the fact that most attendees are heavy duty donors or patrons of the ASO. That concerned me a little regarding the attendance for the show and I thought my fears would be confirmed when I saw an ad for the concert in the local Atlanta paper indicating that tickets could be had 2 for 1 with an on-line purchase. But, upon my arrival, I was glad to see that almost half the amphitheatre was filled (I would put the crowd estimate at between 3,000-4,000.)

My wife and I and three friends gathered at our table and proceeded to eat some good food, drink some good beer and wine before and during the show all under a beautiful low 80 degree star lit Georgia night sky. For those that don't know, low 80's to upper 70's in Atlanta in early August is UNHEARD of. Infact, a weather record for low temp. was broken for that evening. How appropriate to have such perfect weather for such a special evening?

Toto marched onstage at promptly 8:03 and ripped into Girl Goodbye. I thought some of those "wine and cheesers" in the front tables might lose it when Kimball was screaming towards the end. Too funny. They followed with Afraid of Love, I'll be over you, Africa (big ovation), Good for You, Georgy Porgy (full version), Stop Loving You (a surprise!) and Home of the Brave before they took a break for intermission.

In the second half, the sound, though not bad in the first set, seemed much better. The symphony performed a medly of Toto tunes (Fahrenheit, Dune, etc.) and then they played Child's Anthem with the band. Then came a couple of 7th One songs and a funny comment by Luke ("This next song was off our record the Seventh One which was a number one record.......in Europe. You guys have probably never even heard of it.") That got a good laugh from the crowd. Only the Children was followed by Pamela which has always been one of my favorites. It sounded great live! Better World was followed by the medley of songs that they had been performing recently overseas (Angel Don't Cry, Carmen, These Chains and Mushanga) with a comment from Luke that "these tunes are for our U.S. fans that have stuck with us all these years."

The guys wrapped up the show with I Won't Hold You Back, Rosanna, and Hold the Line as an encore. Sprinkled throughout the show were solo's by Paich, Lukather and Simon Phillips. My wife, not the musical expert by any means and recent Toto fan of 3 years since she met me and we married, was really impressed with the drum solo by Phillips.

All in all, it was a fantastic show! 11 years in the making. I want to say thank you to Steve, David, Mike, Bobby, Simon and Tony for coming to Atlanta to play this show. I had always thought way back when (late 80's) of how cool it would be to have Toto play Chastain Park with the ASO. And to think, of all the places they could have played in the U.S., they picked Atlanta and certainly made this lifelong fan very happy. Thank you guys and please come back soon!

I decided to go to Atlanta even when I live in Venezuela in South America.
For the first time I can afford a plane ticket to see Toto in concert after a long time. (Europe is too far for me)
Wow!!! First of all, The Atlanta Simphony Orchestra was perfect, adding an extraordinary touch to this great rock band with 40 veteran musicians. I couldn't believe see Toto rocking with 15 violinists playing "Better World" or "I won't hold you back"...The only thing I know is I can die peacefull after this incredible night.
But that wasn't enough. Toto played Angel Don't Cry, Mushanga, These Chain and Carmen for the fisrt time in years, and I think Bobby Kimball "closed the circle" singing two songs from Isolation album.
Simon, Steve and Dave solos were just outstanding. It was a privilege see Mike Porcaro, a live legend from a great family of musicians.
In my opinion the best part of this concert was a really simphonic Child's Anthem...a moment that I'll never forget... music from heaven.
Muchísimas gracias.

We arrived in at a friend's house in Atlanta around 5:15 p.m. Friday, giving us 45 minutes to freshen up after a 7 hour drive from New Orleans. My wife and I, plus our two friends, ended up hitting the road at 6:15, grabbed a bite to eat, then pulled up at the Chastain Park around 7:30. Very light crowd at that time. Parking was a breeze. Picked up our tickets at "will call" then walked in. At that point, I wondered if I would be able to recognize Stephen (Sarlic) ... he said he might have the autographed cd I won from the album review contest. As we made our way down the steps to the box sets, that question was answered. There he was chatting it up with some folks. He looks just like his picture ... shades and all. (lol). Didn't interrupt him then ... I figured I'd catch up with him later.

Anyway, out seats were perfect. Close enough to the center to see the whole stage nicely. At that point, Stephen walked over, we introduced outselves, talked for a moment, he did have the cd (Thanks Stephen), then he was on his way to get ready for the show. About 20 minutes later, the symphony walked out and started warming up, indicating the show was about to start. Then, the band was announced, and before I knew it, I was experiencing my first Toto show. Girl Goodbye kicked it off. Just as stunning as the Live In Amsterdam version. I have to say, this is becoming one of my favorite Toto songs.

I won't go throught the set list as others have already done so. I will make a few observations. First, the band was on. The energy was there. They all seemed to be having a good time ... Bobby especially. Also, Luke was on fire. His solos were very fast. My favorite was his acoustic solo that led into The Road Goes On (one of my favorite songs off Tambu).

I thought David's voice sounds stronger than I've heard on any of the live records. Plus, I was surprised how much of The Seventh One was played. Being in America, IV was also represented well. Only one from Mindfields ... would have liked to have heard more from this. As for the rest of the band, Simon's drum solo smoked, Mike gets sooooo into the groove and Bobby's voice was in top form.

Lastly, as much as I want to say the orchestra filled out the sound, etc., it really wasn't much of a factor to these ears. Maybe it was where we were sitting, but the orchestra's volume probably should have been up a little bit. Plus, the songs played were pretty much rockers. Personally, I was worried that teaming up with the orchestra would mean more softer, lighter songs. Nope. Frankly, I was happy it worked out this way (no disrespect to the orchestra). Because, like I said, the band was on.

The show ended with Hold The Line. I had hoped they might have done one or two more encores, but the lights went up and the orchestra started getting up. All in all, the show was awesome. I was really impressed with the band's interaction with the audience throughout the show. Made for a fun and enjoyable evening. I do hope the band tours the states soon. I could make a habit of going to their shows (lol).

I have waited 10 years to see Toto in the U.S. after last seeing them in 1993. We went to the show in Atlanta Friday night and it was terrific! We had never been to Chastain Park and seeing Toto under the sky was really great. I was amazed at how far people travelled to see this band! (I came from Savannah, my friend from Pittsburgh and the couple next to us from Nashville). When I mentioned to some Savannah friends on Thursday night that I was going to see Toto- the response was a unanimous "wow, I didn't know they were still touring, I'd love to see them" (so what's up with the lack of record company promotion?)
As with the other reviews- concert was wonderful, played a great mix of the older songs, mixed with some Dune and Mindfields- the band is really at the top of their game. I'm ready to go to Europe to see them again!

Hi! Im not much for writing reviews but here is the exact set list from the August 6th show at Chastain Park in Atlanta. It was a great show. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra really added to the sound.
Thanks for the great web site!

Girl Goodbye
Afraid of Love
I'll Be Over You
Africa
David Paich SOLO
Good For You
Georgy Porgy
I Cant Stop Loving You (sung by the touring guitarist Tony Spinner)
Home of the Brave

INTERMISSION

Orchestral Intro
Childs Anthem
Only the Children
Pamela!
Better World
Steve Lukather Acoustic SOLO
The Road Goes On (acoustic - Lukather only)
Medley
- Angel Don't Cry
- Carmen
- Dave's Gone Skiing
- These Chains
- Mushanga
- Simon Phillips DRUM SOLO
I Wont Hold You Back (newer version)
Rosanna

ENCORE
Hold The Line

A Big Southern Howdy y'all!

Well, it was a big warm welcome back after 11 years for the Toto boys here in The South! Long overdue indeed. Back in June, 1993 - they last played Atlanta (I found out about the show the next day!) - at a little venue here called the Variety Playhouse which is an old theater. But last night - they came back big time with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to Chastain Park Amphitheater. How perfect could this show have been?! We had horrible rainstorms on Thursday but by Friday the weather had cooled down from the blistering Hotlanta we all know and love to a more outdoor-venue friendly temperature and sunny blue skies with big white fluffy rolling clouds. No. Seriously. Maybe Jeff was smiling down. It sure felt like it.

The orchestra really added a lot to their show and pumped up plenty of the songs that already included orchestration as well as spicing up other tunes. This was a long show without an opening act and in my opinion was so satisfying to both the hard-core faithful as well as the rest of the audience who only knows up to Toto IV. They opened with "Girl Goodbye", which rocked; then kept that momentum and segmented into "Afraid Of Love" (one of my top 5 favorites), and then onto "Africa" where the crowd roared with approval. They had the crowd going for sure.

Dave was so animated at this show! He must have been in such a great mood. He was clapping his hands; cheering on the crowd; laughing and talking to the band; doing little dances behind the keys; and sounded incredible - as usual. It really brightened my day and put a big smile upon my face to see him performing that is for sure.

I loved how they managed to include bits and pieces of songs here and there through-out the night that showcased their career. It was great to hear Dave slip in a little of "99". Then there was that story by Luke about what Dave found written by Bobby Kimball late one night! That was hilarious.

"Good For You" sounded so Sweeeeeeet! Just perfect. During "Home Of The Brave", Dave did a quick change of lyrics and instead sang, "I thought I heard it late last summer - in ATLANTA with THIS drummer [pointing to Simon]..." So cool to have them right here in my back yard so to speak.

I was all about the opening to the second part of the show after the intermission. The sun had gone down allowing for all the vibrant colored lights to give the entire stage a warm glow. Very classy looking and fitting for this class act. The orchestra began part two without the guys and it was a melody of various parts of Toto's works including the opening from "Fahrenheit", a bit of "Dune" and some others thrown into this beautiful orchestration before the band came back to the stage to tear into "Child's Athem". Talk about perfect. Then came songs that Bobby wasn't around for. Just as I thought: he made them his own and in my humble opinion they really sounded better with him on lead! Stuff I never thought I would get to hear live: like, "Pamela", and the medley featuring, "Angel Don't Cry", "Carmen", and this was a pleasant surprise - "Mushanga". Not to mention Luke doing "These Chains"!

Speaking of "The Seventh One"; I would love to hear Bubba on "Stay Away" someday. Wouldn't that rock the house.

Luke had great interaction with Matt the conductor who they asked to conduct the ASO as he is from Hawaii and conducted the symphony for their shows there. Luke was all over the stage all night: fiesty as ever - jumping on top of the speakers and letting his ax wail at all parts of the stage.

I Won't Hold You Back" was particularly lush with that big full sound. And incredibly beautiful. Luke's solo featuring "The Road Goes On" was quite touching and there were the faithful in the audience who of course sang the "whoa oh oh-oh"'s appropriately. That made me so dang proud of Atlanta. That song really gets to me on a very personal level.

Simon wowed the audience (and the ASO for that matter) with his drum solo. Then the big finale with "Hold The Line" and the entire amphitheater got on their feet and were really into it - singing along and clapping. Mike, steady as a rock, looked like he was really digging this gig and having a great time with the entire set. Mike seems like one cool cat and really a down-to-earth nice guy.

It was such a great day. I really can't tell you what it means to me. Seeing the Toto faithful was cool too: Sarlic, John, Phil, Pete and Sally, Joel and Leisha, Joey, Lenny, and even Sarlic's cousins. And the day wouldn't have been the same without hanging with Rick and Eddy!! (Thanks for putting up with me all day! The luck was all around.) And I thought about those Toto-heads who were not there but were in spirit - Fiona, Scott, Brenda, and of course Madam Sheri.

And I said a special prayer to myself and remembered Jeff. He would have been so proud of his fellow bandmates and the great time the audience had at this show. Very special indeed.

So there you have it. Toto: 3 - August 6, 2004 - Atlanta, Georgia. My third Toto show. I will be Toto-ized for some time to come....

I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Toto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on August 6th at the Chastain Amphitheater in Atlanta. While I have seen over 30 Toto shows over the years, this represented my first Toto show with an accompanying orchestra.
What intrigued me most about this collaboration was how these two would come together as one. After all, no band is better than Toto (WE ALL KNOW THAT!!!) and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is regarded as one of the best in the nation. However, all the talent in the world does not necessarily mean the chemistry will exist for a successful venture. Well...neither disappointed and both made the complex look very easy.
I will now include the setlist with some notes designed to give everyone a feel for what took place. This show had two one hour sets with a brief intermission.

INTRO: The orchestra played a beautiful string intro which the band walked out onstage to.
GIRL GOODBYE: With the lead of the orchestra, Toto blazed into this classic with Bobby's vocals soaring through the crowd. More of the traditional "Girl Goodbye" version as opposed to the reworked version found on the LIVE IN AMSTERDAM cd/dvd.
AFRAID OF LOVE: One of my personal favorites, Steve looked really happy cranking out this rockin' song and the fan appreciation was apparent for both his great guitar and dynamic vocals.
I'LL BE OVER YOU: What a perfect song with an orchestra. One of the main contributions I heard from the orchestra here was from their horn section, adding a little "spice" to the song. Steve's singing was great and the ending guitar work was reminiscent of LIVE IN PARIS '90 which, to me, was spectacular.
AFRICA: Paich's voice sounded as good as ever here and, in brilliant fashion, Mike's funky groovin' on bass and Paich's playing led into his (Paich's) soloing.
PAICH'S SOLO: A beautiful keyboard instrumental with strong elements of "99" present. The orchestra, as they did often when not involved, watched in awe as Paich mesmerized the crowd with complex playing made to look easy.
GOOD FOR YOU: I can't say enough on how much pleasure I received from hearing some of these lesser heralded songs being played. Always thought this song was a gem, and the live version pleased with great string contributions from the orchestra and a tasty string ending.
GEORGY PORGY: This song, whether people are true Toto fans or not, always seems to get people into the show even more. This "funky" tune is one I'd personally love to see Toto re-release in a similar to live version.
STOP LOVING YOU: Tony Spinner really sings this one well and the orchestra's strings and horns come through during the solo's beginning where Jon Anderson's background vocals were found on the studio track.
HOME OF THE BRAVE: Paich's strong convictions and love for the US and our troops come through in his opening remarks. A great trade off between Paich's and Bobby's vocals and the energetic soloing of Steve.

INTERMISSION

ORCHESTRA MEDLEY: Absolutely awesome orchestra playing with a medley of DUNE, CARMEN, and HOME OF THE BRAVE which creatively allowed the band to launch into CHILD'S ANTHEM, the energetic, brilliant instrumental found on Toto's debut 1978 cd.
ONLY THE CHILDREN: Tasty tune with Bobby handling the vocals. What I loved about this song live (besides the typically great playing!) was the sampled interjection of Joseph Williams's voice on the chorus ("Only The Children").
PAMELA: For me, this was Bobby's best moment of the night. He was brilliant all night, but this song, originally a Joseph vocal, shined live. A Toto masterpiece I'm happy to see live.
BETTER WORLD: A Toto treasure and a must for their live show, this song really allows the musicianship to shine through. A chance for the guys to stretch out on a song with a great message about what the world should be like.
GUITAR SOLO: As usual, Steve comes up with mind-blowing, energetic, and sometimes tempo-changing acoustic playing. This playing led into THE ROAD GOES ON, part of the acoustic set a few years back.
MEDLEY: With an intro from Steve, Toto embarked on a medley of ANGEL DON'T CRY, DAVE'S GONE SKIING, THESE CHAINS, and MUSHANGA. Besides hearing these awesome tunes live was the effective, creative way the band linked one song into the next, much like they did on last year's tour. ANGEL DON'T CRY rocked the house and flowed brilliantly into a portion of DAVE'S GONE SKIING. Loved the Latin-flavored groove from MUSHANGA and the smooth, soothing feel of THESE CHAINS, the classic ballad brilliantly written by Steve and Randy Goodrum.
SIMON'S SOLO: Simon blows my mind as his solos seem to always have different elements. Power, finesse, and a combination of the two. A disliker of the drums would instantly love the instrument because of what Simon can do. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK: Steve sang well all night, but his voice was especially delicate and "Classic Steve" on this beautiful ballad. Beautiful string accompaniment.
ROSANNA: With every one on their feet, Toto delivered this tune to the joy of the enthusiastic crowd. This tune came complete with Steve's blistering solo, Paich's brilliant solo, and sharp trade off vocals between Steve and Bobby.
ENCORE: BAND AND ORCHESTRA INTRO and HOLD THE LINE. Everyone was still on their feet, and Toto and the orchestra completed their evening with the hit that put them on the music map and left to a standing ovation.

Much credit must go to some of the "unsung" heroes behind the scenes. Folks like Steve (AKA "Astro") who does an awesome job with the lighting and is a dear guy. "Dr. Lu" (also a Steve) who takes care of the keyboard technician work and is as genuinely nice as they come. Martin Cole, who runs a smooth ship, sees to every small and large detail, and keeps the band on schedule. Peter G. and the many talented and kind technicians who help make each show a work of art. Bobby Bradshaw, who has been with Steve Lukather forever and helps keeps things sharp for him. A big "HATS OFF" to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and conductor Matt Catinub. Hopefully Toto fans are now symphony fans and symphony fans now Toto fans.

Special love and thanks to Steve, Mike, Bobby, Simon, and David for their great show, kindness, and generosity towards me and their other fans. And last, but certainly NOT LEAST, sincere love and thanks to Peter and Sally Yablonsky from Apalachin, NY, Steve McVey from Wilmington, DE, and Len Ventura and Robbie LeBlanc from CT for their continued friendship and mutual devotion to the best band ever...TOTO!!! No Toto show would be the same without you all there!

My best to all Toto fans out there and here's hoping more shows with orchestras will take place. People embracing "true musicians" will embrace the opportunity to see you and orchestras live.
God bless.

This concert was one I've been waiting to go see since I first started listening to Toto back in the 80's. My best friend and I always said that if we find out they come within a 2 state radius of North Carolina, we're there. We missed the Nashville show in '99. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it with me, but I called him during the show and let him hear. The 4 hour drive down from Charlotte was well worth it. A beautiful night, not too hot, a classic amphitheater...smaller, not overblown like a lot of the modern facilities, and an outstanding performance by Toto and the ASO. It's such a shame that audiences in the U.S. don't appreciate this band like the European and Asian audiences do. Looking around the amphitheater seeing so many empty seats has to be depressing for a U.S.-based band, yet the guys played their butts off and cracked jokes about it nonetheless. Sadly, the only big reactions they received were for their big radio hits: "Africa", "Georgy Porgy", "Rosanna", "I Won't Hold You Back", and "Hold the Line". I will say that we were singing along with you, Luke, during "The Road Goes On"!!

Most of the setlist was already mentioned (except 2 mistakes...it was "Dave's Gone Skiing" and not "Jake to the Bone" and missing from the medley list was "Angel Don't Cry"). Using "Mushanga" to segue into Simon's solo was brilliant. From one drummer to another Simon, I'm speechless and humbled by your skills. Was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Paich walk onstage. Everyone was saying before the show that it would be Greg.

My only compaints about the show were 1. The volume. I guess being that Chastain Park Amphitheater is in a residential neighborhood (and a high priced one at that - I hear that Sir Elton John's house is nearby), they have certain noise ordinances they have to abide by. It could have been much louder, to push up to the back of the amphitheater. I was in row T of the terrace and was DYING for it to be louder. 2. Seems like the sound tech was having some problems at times remembering to turn vocal mics back on (especially Bobby's when he was doing backups). 3. Wish the show could have been longer (again, the ordinances and probably the orchestra rates).

After the show, my wife and I wandered down to the front of the stage and hung out at a stage door, with about 20 other fans, for ANY member of the band to come out. Bobby finally came out and spoke to us for a few minutes (my wife was the blonde with the short haircut Bobby! "Really Really?!?" ) and gave a few autographs before the amphitheater gestapo (a.k.a. Event Staff) herded us out. He mentioned that the reason for the shorter show was due to the availability of charts for the orchestra and the ordinance. I guess if you're going to do a show with an orchestra, you can't afford to have them sitting around while you rock out for 2 extra hours (although WE would love it!!)

Thanks again for a wonderful evening of music...one I will never forget, but hope to do again soon. I hope you weren't too discouraged by your "testing of the waters" here in the states. You have many fans here holding the candle so-to-speak for you. Would love to see some more U.S. dates popup on the toto99 website.

We were fortunate enough to see the greatest band in the world, TOTO, and the ATLANTA Symphony Orchestra this past Friday evening under the fabulous outdoors in GEORGIA. It was a picture perfect setting and the temperature for the evening could not have been any better.

We are huge TOTO fans, and have seen TOTO as many as thirty shows in the past six years. Saturday night was no exception to the fantastic quality of world class musicians performing live, but also we have now have had the privledge to see them perform live with a terrific orchestra, under the direction of Matt Catinub, Conductor. A night to remember forever. A special "THANKS" to Bobby, Steve, Mike, Simon, and Dave for a GREAT performance and to their always friendliness and caring of their fans. Luke, as always, impressed the audience with his playing, and turned many symphony fans into TOTO fans. His emcee work, his brillant electric solos, his great acoustic set, and smooth, overall, whitty approach to the whole evenings' events. Bobby's voice was absolutely incredible as he pulled off another night of flawless sound, and a credit to him performing a few TOTO songs that Bobby never previously had the opportunity to sing live in the US. Mike, yet once again brought along from LA a perfect "PORCARO groove" that ran all night. Simon's dynamics, given the challenging format with the orchestra, sounded great by putting the finishing touches on everything. His drum solo again was a mystery to us as to how he 'does it'. David's introduction to "HOME OF THE BRAVE" was heartfelt amongst the crowd as he cheered on and prayed for our troops. His mastery of the keys all night as well as a suberb voice during AFRICA really received great audience participation. The fans had the pleasure to see Tony Spinner's great rendition of "STOP LOVING YOU", plus his great background guitar and vocals all night. Martin Cole, tour manager, always remains calm, cool, and collected to pull off show after show. The incredible light show was in perfect sync with the sound and was most rewarding to watch. Great job "ASTRO". It was great meeting yet another "Steve" aka Dr. Lu. He is very cool, and helped pull it all together. Peter G. and "tech team" had everything in perfect form for what turned out to be a perfect perfromance. It was great seeing you all again.
Guys, do us all a favor and plan a US tour with orchestras throughout America. It would be a very well received treat and opportunity of fans of all music likes.

As always, it was a pleasure to spend the weekend with great friends John Marshall III, from Newport News,VA, Steve McVey "SARLIC" from Wilmington DE, Lenny Ventura, Robbie LaBlanc, from CT. True TOTO fans travel miles and miles to see and hear the "very best."

OH YEAH!
What a night, What a night!!! By far the best concert that I have EVER been to. I wish that they had more US fans. The show was not sold out. But the guys sure know how to rock and have a good time at the same time! It was a double treat. Toto and the Atlanta Symphony. Two amazing sounds combined. The crowd wasnt as lively as I would have liked. And we were the only ones with posters dancing around like a bounch of morons. But thats Ok because we got their attention when we ran down to the stage!! (even though the security didn't care for us haha) We did get to meet Bobby and he signed our posters. Luke smoked the guitar as usual! Simon kicked major ***. As did Mike, D.Paich, and Tony Spinner. They played a good variety that Bobby said had to be choosen to accomidate the orchestra. he said that playing with the orchestra was like walking on the moon and hoped we enjoyed it. And yes we did enjoy it. More than you know! I made my fiance' come along..he wasnt too much of a fan. But after hearing them live and seeing their talent, he quickly changed his tone!! Its an evening that I will not forget anytime soon. Hopefully they will be able to come back this way again soon!!! Thanks Toto!

Just get back from seeing one of only Toto Concert in the US and I can tell you that this one is extra special. I got 3 different treat: The first, Toto comes in full force (Steve, Mike, David, Simon and Bobby with Tony Spinner as additional member); the second is the 40 piece Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO); and the third is the appearance of Bob Bradshaw as Steve Lukather's guitar tech.

Man the shows really rocks. They start at 8.00 PM with Girl Goodbye and they sound unbelievable. With a full orchestra at their disposal, anything can happen and it did.
I'll be over you, Home of the Braves, Pamela, Georgy Porgy, Can't stop loving, Good for you, Only the children, Africa are some of the classic that they play flawlessly (only some minor high note glitch by Bobby).

ASO pay homage to Toto by playing medley consisting of Fahrenheit, Dune and joining by Toto, they play Carmen, Jake to the Bone, Child's Anthem, These Chain and Mushanga (WOW a big surprise). I am telling you, I've seen Toto concert maybe 6 different times in 5 different country (Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, Netherlands and France), but with a full orchestra backing them, it's just totally different experience. It just sends chills.

I won't hold you back (new arrangements), Better world, Angel Don't Cry, Rosanna and Hold the line were played flawlessly in the second sets. Three different solo by David Paich, Steve Lukather (Acoustic) and Simon Phillips are some of the highlight of the show. As always all of them are in the class of their own (Steve you are still the best in my book)

I think the guys are enjoying themselves (although the concert was not sold out) because they say they wanted to test "the water in the US". Even without a sold out concert they still give their all and that show their professionalism. I think these guys can play 12 hours straight because of their experience, but this last 2.5 hours are just the greatest Toto Concert I ever attended. I purchase a table (6 tickets) just about 30 feet from the stage... for Toto money is no object.

As for gears, Steve mainly uses 2 Ernie Ball "Luke" guitars and an Ovation acoustic with Custom Audio Electronics Preamp with minimal effect (Crybaby Wah, TC GForce, PCM70, ModPro, MXR, CAE switcher and effect), David Paich uses Yamaha Motif and Korg Triton, Mike use Peavey Mike Porcaro signature and Bass Pod Pro, Simon uses Tama, Tony Spinner uses Fender Strat and Bassman.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you, TOTO!
...yes, because the show I saw last Sunday in Modena, my hometown, was simply the best gig I've ever seen.
The setlist was perfect (Only the children, Pamela, Good for you, I will remember..), the sound in the arena very powerful and the guys on stage...amazing (I really appreaciated their solo parts and Tony's work) ! Even if the weather was not so good, I swear that the atmosphere among the crowd was so hot, and it's because the band really rocked!!!!!!!
I'm 19 and it was my first TOTO concert (even if I've been a fan for a couple of years now), but I hope they'll come back to Italy asap... maybe next time my camera will work as it should and I'll manage to take that picture of Bobby on the stairway, waiting to jump on stage and sing "I'll be over you"...;-)!
Thank you guys and keep on rockin' like this!!!!!!
P.S.Don't forget...a star is shining for us...

Hi Toto and Toto fans,
thank you for the fantastic night in Modena, it was worth standing for six hours and finally take position in the front line! (Luke, do you remember the guy with the American cap in the first row?). The packed arena was filled with enthusiasm and started singing along with Toto when they started with " Only the children" .
Toto were more than great as ever but i would like to point out some particular things which happened that night i will never forget.
I heard some guys from Naples who said: there are Toto and then there is only fog........
A girl threw her knickers to Steve who picked them up and hung them to his guitar and kept on playing!!!!!
When Mike showed the crowd a banner reading " Jeff a star shining for us" i saw a tear coming down Steve's eyes and we were all shouting "Jeff Jeff Jeff ". I was really moved...

This was the best concert of their tour!!!!! ...as Luke said....

Thank you Toto, keep on rocking!!!!!

Ciao from Italy !
I was in Modena to see my favourite band " TOTO" !!!
What a fantastic night ! Lightning in the background and magic on stage !
All the boys were Fantastic ! i had the shivers on many songs !
It was great to hear Bobby sing " Angel dont Cry" and "Only the children" and Pamela !! what a great suprise !
I saw the last year tour in Lucca (without David ) and so i was so happy to see him and to hear him !!
Simon's solo was unbelievable !!! WOW !!
Mike we consider one of ours ! he's got some of our hot latin blood ! great musician and a brother of ours !!!
And finally " Luke" what can i say ? i really cannot find the words to explain , he is my number one ! i loved it when he expained about the song " Good for You " and when on stage some girl throwed him a pair of panties !!! wow ! he just put them on the guitar and continued to play ! it was really great ! The old songs make me remember past times and old loves passed by, old freinds and places , but always with my great Toto music always with me !
Thanks guys for giving me a night i'll never forget !!

Hi guys.
My favourite band in my hometown... in my first anniversary of love??? What a shocking night!!!
The setlist is unbelievable: Only the children, Pamela, Angel don't cry, Carmen, Good for you, Gipsy train... some of these tracks I think it's been 15 years I haven't listened to "live".
The band is in a powerful mood, even if it's the last show of the summer tour.
Dave's back, my Dave's back... (I play keyboard and you don't know but you're my only teacher, Dave, God bless you) and my girlfriend looked at him the way she looks at me when I'm on stage... I'm a little bit jealous, man... hahahaha.
Luke is the master of the night, he embraces his red Music man and captures notes falling right from heaven, where Jeff always looks at the band proud of his creature. His acoustic solo is simply amazing (what a surprise he shares with us some notes of "Gift of faith" and "The road goes on").
Mike has a BIG sound (Line 6, I think... I haven't seen amp cabs on stage), he is the bass player that every band must have!!!
Simon... no words, the solo is the best I ever seen in 12 years!
Bobby, are you sure your identity card says the truth??? You sing unbelievable after all these years. For the first time I saw you laughing all the night and I'm really happy of it.
I don't want to forget Tony... the bluesy man who "works" beside the band (how does it feel to be on that stage, man?????), but I wanted to hear "Stop lovin' you" from your voice...
Thanks a lot for this gift, TOTO.
Hope to see ya soon.

BRESCIA & MODENA CONCERTS

The 1st date was my tenth TOTO concert in 26 years.
I remained shocked 'cause I have not hear any dedication to our brother Jeff... What happens boys? Well, in any case the sounds was great, but some arrangements of 2003 tour were more winning.
In Modena sounds and groove was 100% better. The particular little Arena give a special contribution and stormy weather make a real "hot feeling" by the people.. energy comes out from thunder and from the stage...
See U in August boys. All the best !

The show lasted more than two hours and has been characterized of impeccable performances from everybody in the band.
Luke, Simon, David, Bobby, Mike and Tony have been formidable, they have entertained the warm italian public leaving them breathless, exhorting them to ignore the security and come in front of the stage.
Their skills are infinite, they're a condensed of pure energy and musical genius.
Ecstasied public gave back to the band applauses with a lot much love.

Hi brothers,

Last Friday my husband and I attended at the TOTO concert in Brescia. We drove 1.500 Km from the Basque Country (Spain) in order to see TOTO. We know it sounds a little bit crazy but I'm a TOTO fan since a was fifteen (20 years ago) and I've been always dreaming of seeing them.

Last Friday was one of the most beautiful days in my life.

We enjoyed a magnificient concert (the songs were perfect), in addittion, TOTO continuously encouraged people to share with them that magical moment. We all seemed to be old friends!!

But TOTO gave my husband and I more than we had expected: surprisingly we met them at the hotel where we were booked (we hadn´t no idea at all!)

We were talking with David, Luke, Simon and Bobby. They all are friendly persons. I have no words enough to specially thank to Luke his attention with us, we enjoyed very much his conversation, he´s really charming. We´re still remembering all the things he told us. We had a good time with him. He touched our hearts.... Gracias Brother!!! Also special thanks to David for being so kind...

We tried to go to Modena the following day but it was impossible.... What a pity!

Anyway, thanks to all of you for that amazing day and your attention. We feel now we were LUCKY FANS. We´ll see you AGAIN WHEREVER YOU PLAY, SURE!!!

Hi TOTO,

Friday 9 jul 2004, my friends Sandro and I drove from Milano to Brescia to see TOTO at Palabrescia.

The show was perfect and sound were good (usually), the setlist is fantastic: Only the children, Carmen, Mushanga, Angel don't cry and many other... I will remember, but I will remember for all my life after the show.

After the show, we meet Luke, Simon, David and Bobby in the hotel, incredible, we don't believe...talking, smiling, laughing, drinking with them.
Luke, you're a great guy, thank for the signs and the photos with you.

Thanks for all and we hope to see you soon.

Toto was here!!!

Guys, you were absolutely amazing!!! First of all, I really loved what Steve did and said at the beginning of the concert: he invited the audience not to give a f*** about the f****** security, who tried to prevent the crowd from coming closer to the stage!!!
Very good job, Luke!!!

I was also really happy about Dave's comeback: it was the first time after months, and I'm honoured it happened in my hometown.

Bobby has still an amazing voice, go on like this, brother!!!

Simon was really impressive: his solo was simply unbelievable!!!

Mike has a big sound, and it seems he's on another planet while he plays, 'cause he keeps his eyes closed: but Steve's "Italian friend" had both his feet on the stage, and he was great!!!

The opening track, "Only the children" is one of my favourite, then "Pamela", "Good for you", "I will remember", and on and on and on....

I really enjoyed Steve's acoustic set, especially with a short fragment of Pink Floyd's "Us and them": the whole crowd sang "The road goes on", a beautiful track from "Tambu".

When the band started to play "Africa", "Rosanna" and "Hold the line", the audience really went crazy: everybody was singing and dancing, very exciting moments.

I'd like to thank Steve, Bobby, Dave, Mike, Simon and Tony for the incredible evening I spent yesterday: "I will remember" it forever!!!

P.S. Steve, thank you very much for your kind words: it's hard to find true artists today, who really care about their fans.

Hello Everyone:

On friday, day 9, my wife and I flew from Bilbao (Spain) to Brescia (Italy) at 7.00 am for seeing the concert of TOTO in Teatro Palabrescia. After we took a car (in airport, rent a car) and we went to Brescia.

More or less at 13.00 we arrived to Teatro and we went to find an hotel. Our surprise: TOTO were there , in the same hotel. We could talk with Luke a litte.

After we went to the concert and it began at 21:00 pm. The organization of the show was perfect and the effects of lights and sound were good. But TOTO, Luke, Simon, Bobby, Mike, Dave (just arrived) and Tony were better. All people sang all songs and it was very pretty. The solos of Luke, Dave and Simon enjoyed us very much. this concert will not forget us.

After the show, in the hotel, incredible. Talking, smiling, enjoying, with them.
Luke, you're a great guy. Simon, thanks for the sign in my cymbal: I will remember, Dave too.

Now, is Saturday and we'll return tomorrow to Spain. We're writting this message from other hotel near of Malpensa airport (Milano) and the dream will finish but the remembers never.

Thanks for all and we hope to see you soon. Take care very very much and ...hold the line

Hi everybody!

I just attended at my 7th TOTO concert yesterday, at Brescia, Italy.
It was amazing, the band was really cool and Luke was simply great!
I fully enjoyed the setlist, I guess some songs had not been playing for a long time.
It was nice to see David back again, he did a grat solo and it was fun to hear the band playing a little bit of a "tarantella" (traditional song from Naples).
I only regret that I have not had the chance, up to now, to meet the band and shake their hands (maybe at my 20th concert??).

I look forward to seeing TOTO again in Italy! Ciao to everybody!!

THANK YOU GUYS!!!!
What A Magnificent Show!! Your performance was so great (as usual!)... I just can't explain...
I really had a good time; all was so exciting and I can still feel that magic sensation!
Just Unforgettable!
Thank you once again; I hope to see you as soon as possible because I feel lost without you!

That was the greatest Concert I've ever seen!

We drove 250 km from Duisburg to see the Band of the Bands!

The Setlist was beautiful a lot of the old Songs and everytime different. No one could stand only one second without dancing or singing. David Paich is back! Thanks god for this, that he came back on this evening! But the greatest of all is Simon Phillips of course!
He`s my greatest Idol. After the Show I try to get a signature of him, but no way. I hope I may see you again to see the greatest entertainment in the World!
Best wishes from

Wooooow guys, you are the best!

Yesterday my Husband and me drove 150 km to Mainz to see you the 4th time. And it was the best Concert of all!!!
It was a rainy day, but at 19.45 h the sun comes out, because TOTO came on stage! We´ ll stand at the 5th row, the first time of our life, that we can see everything on stage!!
We´ve never seen you with so many energy!

Steve was smiling and laughing all the time, and I think TOTO had a lot of fun. The Show begins with "ONLY THE CHILDREN" and "PAMELA", what a great feelin´! It was fantastic!
The Setlist was really the best of all, including "I WILL REMEMBER; ROSANNA; HOLD THE LINE; ARFICA; GIFT WITH A GOLDEN GUN; ANGEL DON´T CRY; WHITE SISTER; GYPSY TRAIN (Steve ´s a god!!!!!), and many many more.

But we had a special surprise. For the last two or three songs DAVID PAICH came on stage and the Zeltfestival was rocking!!! (or cooking???? :-) ) It was so fine to see you here DAVID!
The Fans were the best and the loudest I´ve ever seen, I can´t say that enough. Greg´s "Purple Rain" from Prince was amazing, his voice is a gift for everyone.

Now, I hope you TOTO will have a lot of Fun at your going Summer Tour, and I also hope, that we can see you the 5th, 6th, 7th... (on and on) Time, when you come back!

You´re in our hearts, we love you!!! Thank you for that special evening!!!!!!!

The open air concert on July 4 in Luxembourg was great, even though the wetter could have been a little bit better. After all these years you guys are still rocking. Although I have been to many of your concerts (± 20), there were still songs I never heard you perform live (e.g. Mushanga). Thanks for a great concerts and please go on for many more years.

It was my SEVENTH ONE tonight and they began with Only the Children and Pamela!

Amazing, awesome! When I saw the new setlist on the site, I was so excited.

Guys, you want to please everyone. Almost every period of your history is concerned by this setlist.

And I think it makes a good balance between Bobby and Steve at vocals.

I especially enjoyed Better World and also Gipsy Train, Waouh I call that Rock!

Bobby was great on Angel don't cry. I found the medley just a little short (especially Mushanga).

Oh, always unsatisfied fan! Just kidding, it was first-rate.

I missed Dave (kiss him for us, please), but Greg did again a great job, a great solo with 99.

Steve's solo was great too, with some notes from Extinction Blues. And Simon (is he really human?) was very impressive!

Thank you for playing Purple Rain, Greg is a good prince ;-).

We were wet but so happy.

PS.Steve: take care of your voice.

See you soon. Take care.

A big THANK YOU to the guys for playing an awesome gig at Osnabrueck's Varus Open Air concert. As Steve suggested on stage, it was not that sunny. In fact, I had to survive several rainy attacks before TOTO entered the stage, Steve had to survive a cold, and no one on stage could do without a scarf. Well, except Simon, of course :-)
All in all it took me from 14.30 in the afternoon to about 22.15 before they rocked the venue with the opener "Only the Children". The set list has already been mentioned in previous postings ("Hold the Line" was the last treat), so I think it's only most important to tell that they did everything at their command to warm us up. And guess what? It worked. Although they had had quite a stressful day with a signing lesson prior to the show, they grooved like crazy. The sound was almost unbelievable, even though I was standing right in front of the stage, first row. And I know what TOTO's sound feels like when you are positioned more towards the back of a venue!
But the craziest thing about it all was that it took place in the middle of nowhere. They can certainly play wherever they want (already thinking about Cairo??), but coming to my home town or at least very close to it was just an incredible event to happen!!!!!!!! The hits, the new medleys, and the "new old songs" were just as cool as can be - not to forget all the solo spots: Steve, Simon and Greg had definitely more than a good time. Mike Porcaro, hadn't I known it before I would easily have come up with the idea why you are referred to as "the groovemeister"! Bobby Kimball's vocal chords are still the best sounding ones in pop-rock-etc. music. And Tony Spinner just fits perfectly to the rest of the best band on the planet! Hmh...is there another BAND?
I know you guys are busy, but just do me a favour: Do come back to Germany next year as well. The more often, the better!
WE JUST LOVE YOU OVER HERE!

The "Rock and Roll Detectives" - live on stage! It was an amazing festival and it took place on the battlegrounds where hundred years ago, Romans were defeated by german barbarians and Julius Caesar lost more than three legions (Gladiator). This is a place of big history and it was a great evening of powerful music. More than 8.000 people found their way to Bramsche on a rainy summer afternoon. My brother Chris, a good friend of mine Dirk and I went there to see these guys again.

The nameless opening band from germany - Ididn't remember their name - did a good job with some crazy lyrics in their songs. But not an opener to elate the audience. After five songs we had a short intermission for stage-reconstruction. And always in these breaks it rained cats and dogs - but we had dry acts and that was enough.

After that, Heather Nova came on stage - a beautiful girl with such a great voice. They played songs like "Waste the day", "When somebody turns you on" and "Virus of the mind". She had to end the show a little bit earlier, cause her five years old son was crying for his mum.

Then it was time for one of the top-acts of this evening... "Fury in the Slaughterhouse"! They did a great job and it was amazing, when the front man Thorsten Wingenfelder jumped over the barrier and did a bath in the crowd. He walked through the audience more than 30 meters away from the stage and sang one of their new songs. It was the greatest moment of this festival. Their set list was awesome and they also played the classics like "Don't forget these days", "Milk and Honey" and "Time to wonder".

Now it was time for the "Rock and Roll Detectives"... TOTO! They opened up with "Only The Children", "Angel Don't Cry" and "Pamela". They continued with "I will remember" one of my favourites songs. I only missed "Stop loving you" by Tony Spinner but they played "Gipsy Train" and that was amazing.

Unfortunately they had technical problems like in Ahaus one year ago. When they played "Africa" the whole light show breakdown and Luke's mike had some back coupling. Furthermore he had a bad cold and it was very windy on the stage. Hope he's doing well again.

But they let the music speak and that was awesome! Luke's, Simon's and Greg's solo parts were one of the best I've ever heard. They played "Rosanna" and the atmosphere seemed to explode. They finished their show with "Hold the line" and the whole audience was dancing... we were in high spirits!

THANK YOU TOTO FOR THIS SPECIAL NIGHT ON THE BATTLEGROUNDS!

Best wishes for Dave and his family!!!

Greetings to Eddie, Alex, Sammy and Mike ;-)

I will never forget!!
When I was 15 years old, my mum brought me and my cousin ( 16 ) to Rotterdam.
We were going to see our first toto gig. It was awesome. From that day those guys were my heroes.
Yesterday, 5 years after Rotterdam, I was going to see my third!!!
Goosebumps already appeared when the lights went off.
Then, the sound of steve's guitar cut trough the air, and that's was the signal to the kick-off of one of the best nights in my life.
Of course they played the hits, which are known by the whole world, like rosanna, Africa, hold the line and Pamela. But also the numbers which are just recognized by the real fans were great. Gipsy train for example, that was really awesome to hear for the first time in my life, on a life concert.
There is one thing I really want to say last.
I really have deep, deep, deep respect for Greg Phillinganes. There is no better person to play the keyboards in this band then David. To play in his place is completely impossible, but Greg is really doing f****** great.
David, see you soon.
Toto, thanks for the great show yesterday. You'll be in my heart forever!!!!!

This was my 5th Toto concert and it was the best of them all! The setlist was really awesome. They played all the great songs we all like to hear. Also because the venue was small it looked like a private concert. Steve was really blowing the place away with his fantastic guitarplay. Also did a solopiece on his Ovation acoustic. Wow! The other guys are so pure musicians. They played everything flawless. Sound of the PA was also very good at a nice volume and a good mix. For me it sounded like CD-quality. (And that is not allways with a live concert) So it was a perfect evening. Normally I don't like drumsolos, maybe because I'm a guitarist ;-), but normally it shows only "Look how fast I can hit this kit". But when Simon did it... Great! He kept a beat in his solo, and that made it very nice to watch. And it shows how good he is. Greg did a very good job as replacement for David, who was not there because of his family he had to take care of. (Hope it goes better soon for them). Mike plays the 5-string as if there's no limit. And Bobby, I'm glad you're back with them. Tony did a great job too! We had the chance to go to the aftershow, were we had a talk with Steve, Simon, Bobby and Tony. These guys are so nice. On the stage they are stars, and when you meet them they are so nice and relaxed and take the time for everybody to take a chat. Great experience. Steve signed my guitar (The Body of Fame) and was really honored to be together with his great friends Steve Vai and Joe Satriani on the guitarbody, that's what I call a great attitude. Also my DVD and the setlist were signed by the guys. Really a great experience. Photo's available on my website www.ffkijke.nl
enjoy!

What a great show! In such a small club as 'Het Podium" it was very special to see the Toto members so close, we were standing whithin a few metres from the small stage.
Toto played with all their power and showed that they still have fun in playing after alle those years.
Steve was making jokes and talked a lot to the audience. I think because it was their last night in Holland they made a lot of fun and played longer than the other two shows (according to the reviews on this website). They played for two hours and ten minutes!!!
Very special were songs they had never played before, like "Good for you", solos of Greg, Luke and Simon (the last one over 10 minutes!) And at the end, after the usual "we want more" the crowd shouted "Home of the brave". Toto intended to play another song, but after this request from their fans they decided to play "Home of the brave"! After that, a very surprising good Greg sang "Purple Rain" from Prince. Amazing! Toto, thanks for a great night and come back soon in Holland!

The last of the three concerts in a small "familiar" ambiance, we had a very very good evening in Hardenberg. It was great to see and hear this specialy TOTO-sound as well as they play in much "larger rooms" The drum-solo of Philip was amazing! Also Steve's guitar solos.... still unbelievable so all this musicians can improvisate on each-other. Especialy the last gift they gave to us :" Home of the brave" was one of the best played numbers! ( ... Steve just remembered his chords.......).
This was one of my greatest concerts i 've ever heard.
Wish you all a great tour this summer 2004!

My first live concert of Toto ever! Gee, I must have been deep asleep all of these years, not to go see these guys before. What a band, what an energy, great songs, performed to the highest standard, with a surprising "Purple Rain" as a second encore.
It took us four tickets to get in there: my wife accidentally threw away the original first two, but this just keeps the economy alive!
And Steve Lukather really is the guy: sharp witted, playing so inspired with so much fun. A great inspiration for all of us.
Thanks for the best live concert we have ever seen.

What an AMAZING!!!! show. I went to two of the three shows in Hardenberg and loved every minute of it. Hearing a complete diffrent setlist compared to the last tour that I was at (Amsterdam last year) was really great. Especially the medley with Angel don't cry made me and the crowd rock. The second night the guys ended with Purple Rain (brilliantly performed by Gregg) and that sounded excellent. On the first night me and a good friend and about 8 other people waited at the backstage entrance and got the change to meet & greet the guys. Especially talking with Steve was great. He is one very cool cat and bloody funny, it was definitly worth the waiting (we had to wait about 1 1/2 hours for Steve and Simon).
Anyway I would like to thank TOTO for another great set of shows and hope 2 see u guys in Holland in the near future,

Keep Rockin'

Never thought a world act like TOTO would play for a audience of a few hundred people! I was one of the lucky guys to experience this GREAT band for almost a "private" concert.
This concert was great and I think I can speak for everyone there. Luke almost "broke" his guitar during a solo on a acoustic guitar and Simon was "banging" great (-:
Hey...I've missed David, but he's got more important things to do (taking care of his sister). His replacement (I've missed his name) was also great! I was surprised to see Tony Spinner also present. Is he a TOTO member now?
Bobby and Mike also performing very well.....! Do I need to say more?

Guys...you ROCK and I hope to see you again at my place (-:

Thanks for there experience of my life!!!!

The first of the 3 shows in Holland was amazing. The new set is sooo great! Without souncheck they started the dutch tripple-tour. In a little close location called "Het Podium" in the middle east of Holland, the sound was a little poor in the beginning, but awesome during the rest of the show. Not a show from about 1:30 hours as told before, in their hometown Holland, they played more than 2 hours! With the dutch fan-crew we had a lot, more than that, of fun!

Guys, thanx so much for the great show, we will be there tonight again.

Also all the best for David and his familie...

Concert Review....
Attended concert at Royal Albert hall, London on 28/6/04 (brilliant). Steve made reference to being not liked by the british press, our press are the worlds worse, they wouldnt know great live music if it hit them between the eyes.

Attn of Steve....
Being an accordionist/keyboard player myself, I dont much like guitars, but I cant help watching the dvd of Steve playing, its just tremendous, thanks to him I have now been converted, I hope he's proud of himself for doin that to me!!!!! The live in amsterdam dvd is fab, please come and play Scotland sometime,and save us some time on travelling.

Attn of Toto.....
I am 43 and my Daughter is 14, we are both Fans, be assured you have fans from a wide age group.

PEACE AND LONG LIFE.............NEVER ENOUGH FROM YOU.....

A 14 year old in this day and age listening to Toto is quite a strange thing in many cases. Me, being 14, love Toto and was completely blown away by the concert on the 28th June. I can not tell you how much other people of my age are missing. Your musicianship was incredible! Simon's drum solo was brilliant, Bobby Kimballs singing was great as ever, so was the keyboard solo and Luke's Guitar playing was out of this world, and me being a guitarist, I was blown away and inspired all at the same time. The set of music chosen was Toto I had not really heard before but I was very pleasently suprised. Ten out of Ten and next time you come to England, I'll be there!!

Well after leaving Southampton at 3.00pm we (myself, my boyfriend and his Dad) arrived at the Royal Albert Hall at 4.40pm! Parked outside the RAH and went into the Box Office to ask where the Car Park was, and what did we hear... Only the guys warming up on the stage, unfortunately we couldn't see them!

Finally entered the building at around 6.45 ish and went to buy some merchandise. We bought 2 tour programmes (which were the same as last years) and 2 of the blue v-neck t-shirts.

We then found our seats (which we also ended up getting up-graded) and we saw the warm up act. 8.30 rolls around and on they came to Only The Children!

This was the 2nd time i had seen them live and they were just as good as the first! The venue was much better and the fans were ecstatic! Steve was a genius as was suave and sophisticated Mike Porcaro. Simon was fab and Bobby was fantastic! And then there was Greg Phillanganes he was a great stand in for Dave. Steve told us Dave was back home looking after his sick sister so: Miss you Dave but hope you're sister is ok.

The concert ended at 10.30 ish and we went to go back to the car, but i then insisted on hanging around outside for autographs. An hour passed and Greg came out so we got his, i spoke to him too!
Me: "Greg can you sign this for me please?"
Greg: "Sure"
Greg then signed.
Me: "Thanks Greg, you were great"
Greg: Thanks very much.
I then walked away a bit star struck!

Waited for another half hour for the others but had to leave cos we had a long drive home and had to be at work in the morning at 08.30!

Absolutely great show and a brilliant birthday pressie (it was my 21st on the 30th)

Guys we love ya and hope to see you again soon!

I've been away on business since the Royal Albert Hall concert on Monday night - now is the first chance I have had to congratulate the band on a classic evening of entertainment.

I have seen just about every Toto UK tour over the last 15 years and, on Monday night, they delivered the best set I have seen. Toto didn't just plunder their back catalogue, they milked it for everything it's worth. Every big album was represented in meaningful form. And the band were LOUD - making the most of the Albert Hall's unique acoustics.

Even before Toto hit the stage, everything was right. Their choice of aging rock legends, Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, to open the show was inspired. They uncorked some of their classic Whitesnake numbers and delivered them in a relaxed, fluid fashion. One of the best support efforts I have seen. They didn't try to steal the stage (as support acts always seem to do and inevitably fail) - instead, they got the audience warm, relaxed and receptive. Once they'd bade their farewells, we were all ready. The place went black. There were a couple of howls. A crackle of excitement. Then out of nowhere, the signature riff to "Only the Children" cut the night and we were away.

How can anybody not get goosebumps when such classics as "Pamela", "Better World", "Gypsy Train", "Made It", "Carmen", "Mushanga" and "I'll Be Over You" are fired at you with such energy and passion?! "The Seventh One" album was plundered mercilessly, almost greedily, with Bobby Kimball's astounding voice bringing a whole new dynamic to these great songs. If any man alive can sing as well whilst wearing a black roll neck sweater I'd be surprised!

As for Steve Lukather - the man looked to be having so much fun, my wife and I wondered if he'd ever leave the stage! What a pity Bernie Marsden wasn't invited back to have an old fashioned guitar duel with the Great Man? It would have been monumental!

Highlights? Greg's supreme keyboard solo of "99" was tinglingly good. The Lukather acoustic version of "The Road Goes On" got the requisite singalong "whoaa-ohhhh-ohhhh-ohhhhs" from the audience, reaffirming it as one of Toto's very best tracks. The band uncorked the tightest version of "Africa" I can recall - never their most potent concert song, it was transformed into a vibrant audience pleaser on Monday night! The best for me, however, was "I Will Remember" - a monumental song that leverages everything that is great about Toto: brilliant song writing that builds and builds, stinging drum patterns from Simon Phillips, punching Porcaro bass, crystal keyboard work, layered vocals with the whole band chipping in and, to top it all, the world's greatest AOR guitar player making the air dance in ways that no other rock guitarist can.

Tremendous.

Ditto to everything everyone has said about the fantastic evening.

As I bass player it was great to see Mike give it some during the 'James Bond' refrain at the end of 'Africa'. The Seventh One is my favourite TOTO album of all time so as you can imagine I was delighted to hear so many corking tunes from that album included in the set - I thought using 'Only the children' as the opener was a fantastic idea.

You guys have inspired me to practice my bass again!

Thank you guys, keep up the good work. Here's to another 25 years!!!

I read that some people came from Scotland just to see TOTO .Well i came from Greece for 2 days just to see the best band in the world, for me.

The sound was the best i have ever heard,and i have seen many rock concerts, the vocals were brilliant and Luke is one band alone ,

Also they played some of my favourite songs, that they do not used to play, like Pamela, Only the children etc.

I waited about 1 and half hour outside to take an autograph, but finally i left. I do not know if they signed ,

I hope i will see them again one day,
best regards

Dear All,

What a wonderful weekend in London, and finally what a wonderful concert!
We are lucky guys, that was our 3rd TOTO concert on which we were participated and our feelings have been becoming stronger and stronger: TOTO is the best!

I think the auditorium, Royal Albert Hall touched the level of performance on this evening. This good atmosphere, this good sound-engineering, this lighting were amazing! The only problem with the place was that fortunately we had tickets for the arena, but unfortunately we had to sit. It seemed for us that Luke had similar opinion, he asked from us several times to stand up, but it was difficult, because the people who were sitting behind us.

Of course we missed David strongly: I hope everything will turn right, best wishes for him and his family as well.

Our brother - it was his first live TOTO concert - could not close his mouth when Bobby started to sing. The 2nd minutes of the performance he said us: OK guys, now I understand what you are always talking about! TOTO is the best rock band all over the world.

The 2nd surprise for him was Simon's playing: it was so professional, amazing and self-confident, that our brother could not open his mouth. Always when I am listening one of Simon's discs I have to realize, that he is the best. Really! And the solo on the drums? People who did not see it, can not believe! Fantastic!

Mike's bass-playing in Pamela, I'll be over you and Gipsy Train (what a wonderful surprise!) was very innovative, 'heart full' (as usual from Mike), and excellent! Thanks for that!

So great songs, great artists, great ROCK!

Thanks for that evening again, and please, if you have possibility, come to Eastern Europe ASAP, not to spend a lot of money for the journey! :-)

All the best for you, and as Luke said in London: "Be good, be carefully, and PEACE!".

Regards,

Royal Albert Hall....
Best night of my life.
I've dreamt about seeing Toto for so long. When the lights went down there was just this surge of excitement before hearing the unforgetable opening of 'only the children'.
I had butterflies all the way through, and still do now when I think of the gig.
Thankyou Toto...

I think that I am the person I came from longer distance to see Toto in London, 28 th of June I came from Greece just to see Toto live, as this is my favourite group of all times.

What a sound! I have seen many rock bands live, big names, but first time I hear such a perfection. I do not know if it is the 'space' or the 'high' standarts of soundcheck of the band. But for me, first time I hear perfect sound from first song. I waited about an hour for take the signatures of the group, but I could not stand more as I was too tired.

Luke, is one band alone, Simon Phillips a teacher, Bobby Kimbal surprised me with his voice. Generally all the band is great.

The most amazing for me is the 'vocals' reach the standarts of studio, which is very difficult. Africa, Only the children, Pamela are songs that need perfect vocals. Toto made that near to 100%.

Thank you Toto for that night that i will remember...

WOW

since I've moved to england I thought I would be almost impossible to see you guys life! but you came to the island and make it worth while.

I took my boyfriend along and he had never seen you life before. and his actual words were: these guys are brilliant! and steve is the best fucking guitarist i have ever seen in my whole life!!!!

I've already been on so many of your concerts, I can't count them anymore, and even though I live in england now, I make the effort to travel to germany or holland to see you guys there. and it was proven once again that it is well worth it every single time!

see you in luxemburg I'll be there ;o)

What a pleasure to see a group of innate professionals who clearly enjoy their art performing their wonderful music at the Albert Hall. The sound was the best I have ever heard and I was absolutely delighted to hear the boys perform tracks from Fahrenheit, The Seventh One and Isolation. I was very sorry to hear David Paich's unfortunate news and he was much missed, but his replacement was wonderful, too! Thank you so much for coming to see your loyal fanbase in the UK - we really appreciate it and look forward to seeing you again soon. Very best wishes from

Thanks Guys for a fabulous night at The Royal Albert Hall. The whole family have been listening to TOTO on black vinyl, CD and DVD since the beginning but this was our first "live" gig, and what a gig it was at the ideal venue. The Royal Albert Hall must have been made for TOTO!! We were up in the highest balcony with "opera glasses" and we were simply bowled over by the whole awesome spectacle. The power of the production and the sound from up there was truly amazing....crystal clear, not one ounce of distortion, never ever heard such clarity live before and I'm a sound engineer from way back. For the first time we realized that there is only one way to listen to TOTO.....live, LOUD, and in the Royal Albert Hall. Come back again and again and again.......

I loved the new set - Only The Children, Angel Don't Cry, Pamela, etc, added to the traditional 'classics'. This was one of 'the' great Toto gigs. The band were awesome as usual, the timing spot on, the vocals excellent, and the musicianship - these guys are the best at what they do. Luke's solo at the end of Gypsy Train was the best I've ever seen, but the whole band were brilliant from start to finish. It was a privilege to be at the Albert Hall, and all I can say is please, please come back to us next time.

Thanks for yet another wonderful night, Toto.

Hi, Royal Albert Hall Monday 28/6/04. Third time that I have seen the band, and surprise, surprise, they get better on every occasion. Must be all the practice !!!

Great gig, thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Sad to miss David Paich, Greg was a good stand in, although 'Africa' will never be right unless David is singing.

Thanks for a great evening,

Ohhh man..... I gotta say what I witnessed last night without shadow of a doubt was the best band on the planet. I felt as though I was on a never ending roller coaster ride with these boys. From the moment they hit the stage, the all encompassing power of Toto rang out from every quadrant of the Albert Hall. They took no survivors in doing so. Leaving everyone completely flabbergasted.

Luke, man you are a God, the sheer personality and aura this man has is truely a gift. The guitar playing was the best I have ever seen. Mike provided a spine for the Toto monster and was the bands rock. Simon Philips, your folks who were in the audience must be very proud as we were watching you, astounding all the young and old drummers at the gig and even the one's who know jack' about drums. Greg was beautiful as always, doing a top job for David Paich. Bobby blew everyone away with that voice. How the hell you can hit those notes defies belief.

Luke said he was kind of nervous because it was the Albert Hall but you guys made it feel as though it was a personal experience. For myself and my buddy Gary Illsey we felt completely refreshed and touched by what I can only describe as an amazing performance. You all certainly enjoyed yourselves and we all enjoyed watching and listening to you push back the boundaries.

Long Live Toto......We are most certainly not worthy!!!

Phew! We were unsure about the 'old hall' being the right venue for the band. How wrong we were! Steve said, right from the off, that they had always wanted to play the place 'where so many legends have played... we are not worthy'. Well, sorry to contradict you, old son, but you most certainly are. Toto proceeded to take the roof off the place. The sound was stunning, the best I've heard in the 12 years I've been going to their gigs. The full light-show was a treat, especially as it linked to Simon's kit. They played stuff from nearly every album, including Initiation. (just keep nudging Bobby to learn this album, Steve. It is the most underrated of all Toto albums.) During "Make This World a Better Place", Brian May was ushered into the mixing-desk area in front of us. He sat through Steve's stunning solos in that track, then the brilliant 'acoustic solo'. He was applauding as loud as anyone one, and stayed for Simon's earth-shattering drum solo, before being ushered back out (backstage, I guess.). The whole band were so 'up' for this gig. Greg was brilliant...a great solo, fantastic B.V's, and it could have been Davy singing Africa! Highlights? Pamela, Angel Don't Cry (at last) and Only the Children. Disappointments? No Golden Gun, not enough time (I guess Greg can only learn so many songs, hence the shorter set, and the need for a support act.), but that is all nit-picking. This was one of the best Toto gigs I have seen in 12 years. The whole place was on its feet, the joint was rocking, and we even got a cab right outside, first try! If you are going to any of the European shows coming up, you'll have a great time. The band are on top form. Now, Steve. How about some new material for a new, band album?

Im just back in Glasgow after seeing Toto play live last night at the Royal Albert Hall in London and I am still in awe of the whole event. Firstly, I was critical of the band when I saw them in Manchester last year. I felt they played too many solo's which disrupted the flow of the show. Last night they got it spot on. Don't get me wrong, there were still solo's, but they were shorter and better. Ive now watched the band 5 times and last night was the best. It was great to hear some songs pulled out from the locker, like "Angel dont cry", mixed with the old faves.
The energy of the band is something else and this was reciprocated by the audience. Its the most enthusiastic reception Ive heard them receiving, which I feel proves how good a show it was.
Ive got to make a point here. Ive seen many bands over the years, from the early seventies, to the present day and in my opinion there is no better Classic/Melodic rock band than these guys. For all those doubters out there that dont think this band can rock, get yourself along to a gig and be prepared to eat humble pie.
I wont go over the set list as its already been documented, but I feel the band got it as near to perfect as possible. I absolutely loved Better World and I Will Remember.
Secondly the venue...its the first time Ive been there, but please, please,please guys, get it booked again in the future. There is just something special about the place and to see Toto there was sensational, Im sure the guys loved it as well. I travelled a round trip of over 800 miles to see them last night and would not hesitate to go back again to see them. Unless of course you somehow manage to play up here in Scotland !!??
Anyway, thanks sooooooooo much guys, last night is imprinted in my mind forever. I bumped into a chap from Sweden who was over to see the show with his son of aprox 10 years old and they felt exactly the way me and my wife did. Outstanding show, Outstanding venue. enough said.
See you next time guys and thanks for a wonderful evening !!!!!!!

Toto concert at the Royal Albert Hall:

Well guys and girls, you are in for a real treat this summer!!

Saw Luke and the guys perform for the very first time last night at the historic R.A.H.

Their perfomance was magnificent and classical, a bit like the venue!!

Great energy was put into every song and every member of the band exceeded my expectations, Bobby sang extremely well, Simon rocked on the drums and Luke, well he deserves to be knighted!!

Not sure about what Bobby was wearing though.....looked like he had the crown jewels stuffed up his jumper!!

Was really hoping to buy some merchandise, and apart from an out of date program, there wasn't a thing.

Still the guys made the R.A.H rock to its foundations and that was good enough for me!!

Until the next time.............

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